


George and

by marginaliana



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Post-Deathly Hallows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-23
Updated: 2007-07-23
Packaged: 2017-10-05 16:06:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marginaliana/pseuds/marginaliana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>George never quite recovers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	George and

George never quite recovers. He seems the same, to most of the world, but his smile is never again quite as bright, his jokes are never again quite as wild. The joke shop continues to be a brilliant success once Diagon Alley is reestablished, and soon enough George hires Percy to take care of the books so he can concentrate on inventing. His mother takes this as a good sign and perhaps it is. But every once in a while, when a customer gives George the delighted grin that speaks of future mischief, he forgets himself, finds himself again several minutes later in the stockroom, his face wet and his hands gripping each other tightly as if to simulate Fred's touch.

Despite his moments of unexplained sadness, George is Teddy's favorite uncle. Teddy grows up hearing the tales of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs from three different sources and he wants more than anything to live up to their legacy. His first magic is performed sitting on George's lap, activating the Marauders Map with George's wand, and he never forgets the warmth he feels in that moment, both from the spell and from the look of happy pride on George's face.

The day Teddy turns seventeen, George takes him out to the local pub for a proper drink, and toasts him with the mock-solemnity proper to the occasion. Teddy grins back. Then George's face turns serious.

"Teddy," he says, then pauses. He draws something from his pocket. "Teddy, I know I can't ask this of you. But you're a man now and I think I can trust you to understand." He slides the object across the table and Teddy sees it's a worn photograph.

He's seen pictures of Uncle Fred before, of course, but there's something unusual about this one. The two young boys are standing together in front of a crumbling stone wall, each with a hand resting on the shoulder of the other. Then he realizes what's different - they're not smiling. Instead, they look focused, determined. Teddy knows when it must have been taken. He looks up again. George's face is worn, lined in a way that Teddy rarely sees except during those irregular frozen moments. He puts the photograph down.

Slowly the red tinge comes into his hair. His skin becomes paler, a smattering of freckles appearing across his nose. His fingers lengthen a little, and his cheekbones become less pronounced. He hasn't done this very much, so it takes a few moments for the transformation to become complete. When it's done, he straightens his shoulders and gazes at George with eyes now bright blue instead of the brown he normally carries.

"Hello, Gred," says George. Teddy knows how this is supposed to go.

"Hello, Forge," he says, and then, letting instinct guide him, "I miss you."

When George breaks down, Teddy grips his uncle's hand and doesn't let go.


End file.
